Governor DeWine announces additional funding to reduce crime laboratory backlogs
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced Friday that 11 certified crime laboratories will receive an additional $3.4 million in funding as part of the Ohio Crime Lab Efficiency Program.
Governor DeWine created the Ohio Crime Lab Efficiency Program in 2022 to help Ohio crime laboratories reduce and eliminate backlogs, increase overall lab efficiency and decrease evidence processing time.
"Criminal investigations depend on the timely work of dedicated forensic scientists and chemists at Ohio’s crime labs," said Governor DeWine. "The initial $10 million in funding awarded in 2022 was successful in helping crime labs significantly reduce backlogs, and this additional funding will help labs continue to keep their turnaround times down."
Crime laboratories receiving funding include labs in Cuyahoga, Franklin, Lake, Licking, Lorain, Lucas and Montgomery counties. Eligible grant expenses include hiring additional staff, purchasing new technology,and outsourcing lab work:
Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Cuyahoga, $174,100
Columbus Division of Police Crime Laboratory, Franklin, $567,000
Franklin County Coroner's Office, Franklin, $110,178
Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Statewide, $835,000
Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal Forensic Lab, Statewide, $239,250
Ohio State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory, Statewide, $502,000
Lake County Crime Laboratory, Lake, $125,000
Central Ohio Regional Crime Laboratory, Licking, $95,550.84
Lorain County Crime/Drug Lab, Lorain, $425,000
Toledo Police Department Forensic Crime Laboratory, Lucas, $9,995.71
Miami Valley Regional Crime Lab, Montgomery, $275,104.08.
Both rounds of funding for Ohio crime labs were awarded as part of a larger $250 million investment by the DeWine-Husted Administration and the Ohio General Assembly to help state and local first-responder agencies counter increases in violent crime and mitigate impacts on staffing levels and first-responder wellness caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Other programs funded through this effort include the Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program, Ohio Ballistics Testing Initiative, Ohio First Responder Recruitment, Retention, and Resilience Program, Ohio Court Backlog Reduction Program and Community Violence Prevention Grant Program.
Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.